Fresh Oysters from Drake\'s Bay in Point Reyes

Oyster Odyssey

If you really love oysters, there's nothing finer than getting them straight from the source. And it's even better when that source is in one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the state. Enter Point Reyes and the historic Drake's Bay Oyster Farm, where they've been digging up premium varieties for more than sixty years. While most Point Reyes visitors are making their way along busy Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the lighthouse, your destination is a sharp left turn onto a winding gravel road that ends at the oyster company's farm on the tranquil shores of Drake's Estero. When you get there, pick up a dozen or two freshly plucked Pacific oysters and then head for a grill. We like nearby Heart's Desire Beach, where you can escape the crowds by hiking a tenth of a mile south along the Johnstone Trail to a private picnic area that overlooks Tomales Bay. Grill your fill, then wander half a mile farther down the trail to Pebble Beach (pictured), where you can find your own slice of sand on the bay. Ah, the world is your oyster now.

Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, 17171 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness; 415-669-1149. The farm is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The left turn to the oyster farm is 9.5 miles after Sir Francis Drake Blvd. intersects Highway 1. To get more information on Point Reyes National Seashore, click here. For a PDF map of the park, click here.